by Musa Abu-Marya. Translated by Sunbula
al-Jab’a
June 13th: The problem – the settlers that are residing in Beit Ain located near the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, and between Beit Ummar and al-Jab’a are engaging in hostile actions in areas surrounding the two villages. Today, the settlers set fire to land in al-Jab’a as well as some of the olive groves and other farmlands. The farmers depend on their land, but some of them have been unable to reach their lands close to the settlement in the last 5-6 years, due to repeated assaults on the same person or on his land. It is evident that the policy being followed is one of forced evacuation and the planting of fear into the hearts of the farmers. The lands that were burned belong to the al-Tous and al-Mesha’ala families from al-Jab’a.
Beit Ummar
Jaber al-Sulaiby is the owner of the land that was attacked on June the19th 2006. On this day, a settler from Beit Ain came down to al-Suleiby’s land many times with a flock of goats that proceeded to eat the grapes, plums and other fruit trees. There were numerous complaints filed with the Gush Etzion police but without any result. The settlers and their goats were not stopped from attacking the land. There were also a number of peaches and cut trees that were found on the ground. Additionally, most of the unclean (sewage) water was found poured on to the land of the Suleiby family.